Website

Introducing our New Website New Website launch (10th February 2020)

Earlier this year, we were very excited to announce the launch of our newly designed website. It is important for us to make information easily accessible for our customers and readership.

Our goal with this new website is to provide our visitors an easier way to learn about Al-Furqān’s activities, events and publications, and to browse information based on their own choice.

The new website is more content driven, and gives better insight on who we are and what we do.

It is also a gateway to the Foundation’s Digital Library, a continuously growing repository of bibliographic information on Islamic written heritage.

There are a range of new features across the different sections of the website, which will be introduced in this article.

Visitors can now browse our website on any device, as the website is responsive to the various screen sizes of mobile phones, tablets, laptops and computers.

New Features include: 1. New Content Structure

We have made some changes to the general data layout and hierarchy of information, for a better user experience and for a better portrayal of the Foundation’s work across the three different centres. This new structure has been reflected on the website main menu for easier navigation.

2. Separate landing pages and structures for each Centre

Each of the Foundation's 3 Centres has a dedicated homepage section that encompasses all information, activities and publications related to the Centre.

3. Quick access to Publications in the different categories

The homepage features a quick access area to our publications, which displays the most recent titles in each category.

4. Better insight on Publications (Enhanced E-commerce System)

The Publications area has a range of new features, as following: a) Consolidated information

We have brought together all information that is related to a publication in one view, where the customer can see: Table of Content, Look Inside, Watch Related Video, See Related Images, Read Selected Articles from this title, or View Related or Similar Books.

b) Preview "Look Inside" Feature

We have integrated Nielsen’s Book2Look widgets for many of our publications. The widget allows the visitor/customer to view the first pages of the publication as a flipbook, including the Table of Content and book Introduction.

c) Catalogue Production

Up-to-date publications’ catalogues are available for download in PDF format. Customers can generate catalogues for the different categories of our publications, such as: • Al-Furqān Publications Catalogue • Manuscript Centre Publications • Mawsoa Centre Publications • Maqāṣid Centre Publications • Other Publications

d) Multi-Currency & More Payment Methods

Customers can check-out in their preferred currency, between GBP, EUR or USD, and using either PayPal or World Pay as a payment method.

e) Streamlined Ordering Process

We keep customers fully informed on their order status - as it moves through the fulfilment process - through a series of email communications.

f) Recommendations on Relevant Publication

Personalised recommendations are generated and sent via email to customers, based on their purchases on our website.

Similar and relevant titles are also suggested on most of the publications’ pages.

g) Offers and Coupons

Promotions and discount code fields are being introduced on our checkout pages. Codes are delivered via email, and in our sales campaigns.

h) Customer Reviews & Endorsements

We have added a Customer Review section to our Publications’ area, to get more insight from our readership, and have their feedback on our publications. Customers can also leave quick reviews, using the one-tap star ratings.

In addition to Customer Reviews, there is a separate tab where we are including received Endorsements and Reviews on our publications.

5. Link to Digital Library Portal

The Digital Library portal has moved to a sub-domain. However, it is accessible on the new website through a new designed search area.

Customers browsing publications on the Digital Portal will be redirected to the new website, to process any purchases or sales transactions.

6. Reference Library

Al-Furqān’s Library is a reference library, which contains an in-depth collection of material on the Islamic written heritage.

We have included more details on our collection, reading room policies, and a new ‘Ask a Librarian’ form, in order to direct readers’ queries instantly to our Library team.

7. Selected Articles

This New Website will be aimed at being more content driven, by providing various articles on the Islamic written heritage, with a special focus on studies of Manuscripts, studies related to the Two Holy Cities (Makkah and Madinah), studies on the Objectives of the Philosophy of Islamic Law, other studies on Islamic Heritage, as well as providing different articles on selected International Days.

The relevant Publication to each article is usually featured on the articles’ pages, if readers would like to learn more about the title.

Furthermore, readers can leave their feedback and comments via the Reviews and Star System at the bottom of the article page, as well as share it via the different share buttons at the top of the page.

8. Media Links

Video coverage and gallery of past events are uploaded on the corresponding events pages on our website, as well as on our YouTube channel.

Our latest events’ videos are featured on the homepage, for quick access.

9. Mailing List & Social Media Links

The website footer area now has a quick subscription form, so visitors can sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest announcements and updates on our activities. Links to our different social media sites are also accessible from this area.